Fused wall outlet box



Feb. 10', 1948. J, NICOLAZZO. 2,435,794

FUSED WALL OUTLET BOX Filed Aug. 23, 1945 INVENTOR ATTORNEYE Patented Feb. 10, 1948 EUSEDWAIL lohmlosephfNicolazzo, Bridsentirli.A Cnnnaassien-Y- anon-poration; off; Connecticut ApnlicationAugllslzff, 1943: SerialNmAallGlli:

5CIa1nSi, (CL 25199-13332 Thi inventionrelates toa wall. outlet-box andC receptacle; and. has for.y an ,l object to`r provide al, wall outlet box'V adapted taba lloollntedl inA a. Wall; recess as, is the.; usuali box,r with.. a conventional Qrstandardg nl'ugfiarecoptaoleitherein, and one, or; more` fuses also mounted; in; theA box to pro: teotthe. receptacleor; receptacles mmmtedtheiee irl-sof that; iin case ofa-sho1zt circuitw 0r` overload; beingappliedgto theireceptacle theffuse inthe, main line. or switch box,-wlljlnothe,blownand nothingngwill'be, alectedibuithh individu@ Qllt: let-receptacle involvedg Another, object isfl to` provide; a simple con: struction and' arrangement' fjorftheA purlgoe; i. tended in which. should a fuse be; blown the blown' fuseamay b e easilyand quickly removed; anda newy f use inserted withoutaffectingothery outletsor receptacles 0r installations in, the housew-i-ringsystem With-the foregoing andi-other objects in View* Ihave' devised= theconstruction illustrated" in the accompanyingdrawingformingA aY part` of this;

specification; It`A is; however,t tobe3understoodf the invention isnot limited kto thespeciic con-- structionanol arrangement'shown but mayeni body various changesand modifications with-in the-scopey ofr the invention:

In this drawing: l

Fig.y 1L is afront elevationy ofI a wall voutletyboxv constructed` and` arrangedA according to` my inventi'onfwith--a receptacle-in placebut-'with the cover 01h-face#plate-removed;

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sectionsvsubstantfially onl lines 2'-2-t and' 3--3i respectively of Fig.' 1l;

Fig. 41 is av` detail'v elevation offonevof the holdingy clipsfor thefusey andthe mounting means therefor yshownon an enlarged* scale;

Bilge 5`-is1a frontview-V of-jtheecoveoor face plate, l andf Fig; isI a wiring/diagram showing 'chef-ar rangement inaX wiringJv system.

In theusual wiring-system where main and' auxiliary fuses are-` mounted' inv theH main switch` box inz the basement on ot-'hert` location; if a short circuitisV applied toanyfpart of-the system;` as forinstance by --aperson plugging-inv a defective electric iron`r or# other electrically attachment, either the main fu'sefory one offy the auxiliary fusesz or-possbly=-both wouldV bowblownl Usually itf is the lauxiliary fuse for the particular` branch linei affected` which isxblownl andi' this. puts the entire `line out of: commission so ,that none of' it: can bev usedly untill the: blown fuse` at. theA main switch-fbox-Xisrenewed# Thiamay meanthe whole-A house:L oazvfl'at; is darkened and' the tenant must;

grauer throughaziclark: cellary or,-v basement,.. 0111 in multiple.y family houses.. orI apartments the main..

switch box andlthe.fusesv may b e ,anothe1:y

-. tenants, or.. the ownerl's. part,4 of basement;

whiohlvmayv, be' closed off; from, the otherxuarts ofgthebasementlrequiring; that; the l, tenantwitir the-blown Afuse gain acoessisomehow; to the Y other nartys` portion o flthe, basement. or wait for assistance f roxnthat party., These are onlytai'ewY examplesoivvery, onnoyine, and possibly serious;

'ences or. difcultes that' may be., in:Y

nt; invention there is;y a fluselocated insa Y Wall: outlet; boxV fior each individual. nlug-in receptacle to Qrotect that particularreceptacle.

andi should' at defective; attachment, suclior ex: ample as an electric iron or'lot'herdevice with a short in it, be plugged-into the receptacle`v only thejuse for that partiularreceptacle isblown,

not affectingthe main fusefor-evenu thefuse at;

the main `switch box f orthe particular branch` circuitinvolved; and lt'llusy ini no Way interieringA withl the" operation ofl other devicesorva-ttachgmentspluggedinto other receptacles onthe, same-f circuiti-ortho lighting system.

The device comprisesa wally outlet box- Illlf e are-formed with the usual ears |31 provided with tapped openings l'4 to receive-the` securing screws itil` through the 1in-counting'L yokes` orv brackets |61 of:- the; conventional? or: standard. outlet on plug-.. in -receptaole H.: In; the presentcasa a. .conventionalonstandard duplex receptacle; is shown;

' but .itfcoul'd be-asingleireceptacleifidesired. Iny

mountingffthereceptacle lil, asfthe box isfflength.-A enedzsomewhat lone endf offthe -yoke |15: isf secured' tof-oneY off" the ears,V i131; but;v an Y, auxiliary support, is: provided?fior.` the other end? of# tlieyoke;Y In this ,caseit Vis a1transversemember lfwhich. mayI be` a strip; of Hate', metal-with; downetllrnedf ends;l

L95 secured; by: anyfsuitable; means r to` the: inner.:

sides of `theisidewalls Hl, preferablyloywelding:`

-;- too-1thesezsidewalls:togthus provide; a permanent:

support.andtheotherend of; the volse, i5 may,` rest. oath-isv support: and be secured thereto by" a. screw. 51,'. thasam asit; could be; secured. to; oneiof;y the; ears;` t3: 'Ehe y assembledV boxmay. lbe;4 in= ai recesso. the@ Walk, theA usual;

the blowing: Ofi a. fusev SQ located.

manner and secured to the lath or other woodwork by screws through the mounting brackets 2l. In replacing an old or shorter box all that is necessary is to lengthen the wall recess somewhat to accommodate this new box and there would be no wall marks or other disiigurement of the wall as the box and the recess will be covered by a cover or face plate 22.

At one side of receptacle I1, preferably between the auxiliary support I8 and the other end of the box l0, is mounted a fuse 23. Suitable supports for this fuse are mounted in the box preferably so located that the fuse is easily accessible for removal of a blown fuse and the insertion of a new one. A simple and eiective means of mounting this fuse is by means of a pair of blocks 24 of insulating material secured to the inside of the walls Il by any suitable means, such as a pair of spaced bolts or screws 25 passing through the blocks, and at their inner ends their heads 26 may be in countersunk openings in the blocks so that they are not exposed for inadvertent contact with the live elements of the assembly. These two bolts eiiectively support the blocks and prevent their turning from position. Mounted on each block is a spring contact clip 21 which may be of any desired shape or construction, but a satisfactory and effective clip may be substantially U-shape as shown mounted on each block by a bolt or screw 28 passing through the block between the bolts or screws 25 so that they are effectively insulated therefrom and also from the box or other elements, and the insulating effect may be increased by countersinking the lower heads or nuts 29 in the block. These screws may not only secure the clips 21 to the block but also may act as binding post screws for connecting lead wires to clip 21, or if preferred separate binding or connecting screws could be provided for the clip-s. The blocks 24 are so located that the clips 21 support the fuse closly adjacent the front of the box l and closely adjacent the rear of the cover or face plate 22 so that the fuse is easily accessible. With this arrangement an old or blown fuse can be removed by merely slipping it out or of withdrawing it from the clips 21 and a new unblown fuse as easily inserted, the end ferrules 30 of the usual cartridge .fuse providing electrical contact with the clips 21.

A portion of the usual BX cable 3l of a house wiring system is shown leading through an opening 32 in one end of the box and carrying the usual conductors 33, 34. The plug-in receptacle I1 has the usual stationary contacts indicated diagrammatically at 35 for engagement with the contact blades of a plug-in cap connected with the electrical device to be operated in the usual manner, and mounted on the sides of the receptacle are binding screws 36 mounted on bars 31 connected with these receptacle contacts as in the usual construction. One of the wires from the BX cable, as for example the wire 33, is connected to one of these binding screws 36 on one side of the receptacle and a lead 38 is connected to the binding screw on the other side of the receptacle and leads therefrom to one of the clips 21 for the fuse 23. The other wire 34 of the BX cable is connected to the other clip 21 for the fuse. Thus the fuse is connected in series with the receptacle and the supply wires of the BX cable so that should an electrical attachment, such for example as an electric iron or other device, which has a defective wiring that would cause a. short, be plugged into the receptacle, the fuse will be immediately blown but the main fuses in the main switch box will not be affected, the fuse 23 of each individual receptacle or outlet box being of a smaller capacity than the fuses at the main switch box. Therefore should a defective appliance which would causea short be plugged into this receptacle, only the receptacle involved would be put out of commission and none of the remainder of the house wiring system would in any way be affected but would continue to functionin the normal manner.

It will be understood that the fuse 23 could be mounted in either end of the box I0 or if preferred there could be two fuses in the box each protecting one-'half of the duplex receptacle. In this case, however, each fuse would be connected in series with the contacts of its particular half of the receptacle and the contacts for the two receptacles would not be connected. That is. bars 31 would be in two disconnected pieces one for each set of contacts 35 and individually connected to the supply wires 33 and 34.

After the box with the combined receptacle and fuse arrangement is installed in the wall recess the open front side of the box and the recess are covered by a cover or face plate, preferably a face plate similar to that shown at 22 in Fig. 5. This plate is of a sufiicient size to cover the wall recess and give a nished appearance, and it has openings 39 to receive and expose the bosses 40 of the receptacle to give access to the plug-in openings or slot 4l. It also is provided with an elongated opening 42 over and in alignment with the fuse 23 so that the fuse is easily accessible and should the fuse be blown the operator may easily grip the fuse, withdraw it from its mounting clips, and insert a new fuse. This opening 42 may be closed by a closure 43 which may be mounted in any suitable Way, but is preferably mounted on a spring hinge 44 provided with a spring 45 tending to swing the closure 43 to the closed position and retain it in this position.

Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically how a plurality of these wall outlet boxes with their receptacle and fuse assemblies may be mounted and connected in a branch of the house wiring system, each having an individual fuse connected in series with its receptacle to protect the individual receptacle without in any way affecting the other receptacles in the line.

It will be seen from the above that this makes a very simple and effective construction and arrangement reouiring only simple changes from the conventional outlet box, but requires no change in the conventional or standard outlet receptacle. Also that each individual receptacle is effectively protected by its own individual fuse, so that if a defective attachment is plugged into the receptacle to cause a short circuit the fuse for that individual receptacle will be blown, preventing blowing of the main fuse or the auxiliary fuses at the main switch box, so that the use of other receptacles on the line or in the system is in no way affected, doing away with the necessity of someone groping through a darkened house or basement to the main switch box to replace a fuse at this box. Usually there are several branches leading from the main switch box with a fuse in each branch and it is often diificult to determine in which branch the fuse has blown. This difilculty is eliminated in the present arrangement as the operatorwill know that it is the fuse in the particular receptacle that has blown and must be renewed.

Having thus set forth the nature of my inven tion, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, an

open sided wall outlet box adapted to be mounted ina wall recess and including side and end walls forming a compartment, said box being provided with mounting means for securing it in a wall recess as a permanent part of the house wiring system, an ear at one end of the box, a transverse support spaced from the other end, means for mounting a conventional outlet receptacle within the box on said ear and support; and comprising an insulating body enclosing contacts adapted to engage attachment plug contacts inserted into the body, means operable by a given overload to open a circuit, means mounting the circuit opening means in the box compartment between the support and the other end of the box in a position where it is accessible for renewal from the front of the box and including electrical connections to the circuit opening means, and means in the box and outside the receptacle for electrically connecting the electrical connections in series with the receptacle contacts and supply wires forming a permanent part of the house wiring system leading to the box.

2. A wall outlet box adapted to be mounted in a wall recess, said box having an open front and including spaced side and end walls, ears extending outwardly from the box for securing it in the wall recess as a permanent part of the house wiring system, a conventional standard outlet receptacle mounted in the box comprising an insulated body enclosing receptacle contacts and provided with contact blade inlet slots at said open front of the box leading to said contacts for insertion of attachment plug contacts to engage the receptacle contacts, means operable to open a circuit by a given overload therein, means for mounting the circuit opening means in the box independently of said receptacle and in a position Where it is accessible for renewal from the front of the box, supply wires forming a permanent part of the house wiring system leading to the box, and means in the box outside the receptacle electrically connecting the circuit opening means in the circuit with the receptacle contacts and the supply wires.

3. In a device of the character described, a wall outlet box adapted to bemounted in a wall recess, ears extending outwardly from the box for mounting it in said recess as a permanent part of the house wiring system, said box being open at the front and including a rear wall and spaced side and end Walls, a conventional standard outlet receptacle mounted in the box comprising an insulated body enclosing receptacle contacts and provided with entrance slots in its front wall for insertion of attachment plug contacts to engage the receptacle contacts, means operable by a given overload in a circuit to open the circuit, means mounting the circuit opening means in the box e5 between a Wall of the box andthe receptacle and adjacent the front of the box, means in the box outside the receptacle electrically connecting the circuit opening means in series with the receptacle contacts and supply wires forming a permanent part of the house wiring system leading to the box, and a face plate covering the open side of the box and provided with openings in alignment with the receptacle and the circuit opening means to allow access thereto from the front of the plate.

4. In a device of the character described, a walloutlet box adapted to be mounted in a wall recess, ears extending laterally from the box for mounting it in said recess as a permanent part of the house wiring system, said box being open at the front and including a rear wall and spaced side and end walls, a conventional standard outlet receptacle mounted in the box comprising an insulating body enclosing receptacle contacts and provided with entrance slots in its iront wall leading to said contacts to receive attachment plug contacts to engage the receptacle contacts, a fuse, supporting means for said fuse mounted in the box outside of said receptacle and adjacent the front of the box, means in the box electrically connecting said fuse in series with the receptacle contacts and supply wires forming a permanent part of the house wiring system leading to the box, a face plate covering the open front side of the box and provided with openings in alignment with the receptacle and the fuse to permit access thereto from the front of the plate, and a closure for the fuse opening.

5. In a device of the character described, a wall outlet box open at the front and including a rear wall and spaced side and end Walls, ears extending outwardly from the box for mounting it in a wall recess as a permanent part of the house wiring system, said box being provided with means for mounting in the box a conventional standard outlet receptacle comprising an insulating body enclosing receptacle contacts and entrance slots for attachment `plug contacts leading to the receptacle contacts, said mounting means being also positioned to locate said receptacle with its eny REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,874,828 Suss Aug. 30, 1932 2,256,716 Klancnik Sept. 23, 1941 2,277,216 Epstein Mar. 24, 1942 2,168,663

Bauroth Aug. 8, 1939 

